Late student's father lodges police report against UUM

The father of the late S Vinosiny has lodged a police report against Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) over the death of the 20-year-old accounting student last Saturday, citing possible negligence by administrators at its Sintok campus. 

R Sivakumar, 52, lodged his report at the Klang Selatan district police station last night. 

“The reason for lodging this report is my dissatisfaction with the manner in which my daughter had died in vain, safety measures for all UUM students, and the handling of the death due to UUM’s negligence,” said Sivakumar in his police report sighted by Malaysiakini.

Sivakumar urged the police to investigate whether UUM had conducted comprehensive maintenance including a safety audit on the building and its electricity supply, as well as the conditions of the dorms left vacant for two years during the Covid-19 pandemic before reopening the campus for students. 

“I urge the police to conduct a thorough investigation, not only to seek justice for my daughter’s death but also for all other students at risk of facing the same situation if UUM’s negligence continues.

“UUM has failed to ensure the safety of students and that all facilities provided for students’ use are safe and well-maintained,” he said.

Sivakumar said the police report lodged will also be used to initiate legal actions against UUM.

Meanwhile, Sivakumar's lawyer M Manoharan said UUM must be held responsible for alleged criminal negligence.

“We want transparency in the matter as her death is mysterious,” he said in a text message to Malaysiakini yesterday.

“I believe UUM must be held for criminal negligence. Alma mater turned into a death trap,” he said.

UUM previously assured there would be no cover-up of the circumstances surrounding Vinosiny's death.

This is amid an ongoing probe by the police and the Energy Commission into Vinosiny's death, who is suspected to have suffered a fatal electric shock in her hostel room.

Vinosiny, who was in the fourth semester of her accounting and information system studies, returned to campus a week before the tragedy.

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